Bhubaneswar, May 19: Bhubaneswar Music Circle paid tribute to the veteran film personality Sarat Pujari through a Hindustani classical music concert.

Hosted at Rabindra Mandap, the musical evening included instrumental and vocal segments dedicated to the actor, who died recently. Pujari was a life member of the host organisation.

The first performance of the evening was by violinist Laxmi Prasad Pattanayak. A postgraduate degree-holder in Hindustani violin from Utkal University of Culture, Pattanayak’s rendition of raga Kirwani left the audience in awe.

The musician, who is now a teacher in instrumental music at Bhanja Kala Niketan, Bhubaneswar, and a guest faculty at Utkal University of Culture, executed the intricacies of the raga. He was awarded the National Scholarship in Violin in 2007 by the central government, apart from several recognitions from various cultural organisations. Well-known tabla player Sandip Kumar Rout accompanied him.

Hindustani vocalist Shiv Prasad Rao was the other artiste of the evening.

Hailing from a family of music, he started learning Hindustani vocal at a young age from his father Maheshwar Rao. Shiv Prasad, who is now under the tutelage of Vikas Kashalkar of Pune, presented a series of classical compositions, mostly devotional. The vocalist is now a music teacher at Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, New Delhi.

Members of Bhubaneswar Music Circle, a group of music enthusiasts who have worked for close to three decades towards preserving and promoting music, got together in large numbers to pay homage to Pujari.

“He was an iconic actor, director, theatre personality, art lover, educator and above all, a wonderful person. His last hours were full of what he loved best, being at Rabindra Mandap to watch an Odia play. Hence we conducted the programme in his memory at the same venue,” said veteran theatre personality and a member of the host group, Ananta Mohapatra.

“With his demise, Bhubaneswar Music Circle lost a valued member and well-wisher,” he said.

Some of Pujari’s associates and admirers shared their memories of the actor during the programme. A signature campaign was also organised outside the auditorium for the audience to pen in their messages of tribute for the legend.